Indian Housing Project: Rebuilding Homes, Transforming Lives

Indian Housing Project Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives.

Indian Housing Project Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 2

DISCLAIMER The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries regarding its economic system or degree of development. Excerpts may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the United Nations and its member states or those of the Government of India or the Government of Sri Lanka.

HS: HS/087/15E

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Contributors: Charmalee Jayasinghe, Tim McNair, I. A. Hameed, Aziza Usoof, Piyal Ganepola, Mohammed Jezeer, Shamir Shalih, M.N.M.M. Nusry, A. Rafeek, T. Theepavathana, M.M.I Yaseer, M.M.M. Ansari, Laxman Perera, B. Kalyani, T. Sharmilan, Thanuja Dharmasena, M. Jegatheeswaran, S.H.A. Anas, P.X. Calis, A.L. Firthows, S. Elanganathan, J. Kandeepan, T. Krishanthan, G. Sivarewathy, Integrated Development Association Editors: Tim McNair, Charmalee Jayasinghe, Aziza Usoof, Piyal Ganepola Design and layout: Charmalee Jayasinghe, A&D Advertising Printer: Gunaratne Offset 3

This book celebrates the achievements of thousands of families in the North of Sri Lanka who successfully rebuilt their homes following years of conflict and displacement. 4 1

3 Foreword 4 Message from the Government of India 5 Message from the Government of Sri Lanka Contents 6 Introduction 9 People’s Process of Reconstruction 19 Rebuilding Homes 45 Transforming Lives Indian Housing Project Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 3

Foreword

It gives me great pleasure to introduce this publication construction of homes by female headed homeowners entitled “Indian Housing Project: Rebuilding Homes; and elderly families, construction training for youth, Transforming Lives” which documents the partnership uses of alternative, environmentally friendly building between the Government of India, Government of materials and the incorporation of disaster risk Sri Lanka and the United Nations Human Settlements reduction features and technologies in construction. Programme (UN-Habitat) in post-conflict housing This publication is dedicated to all the families who reconstruction for 17,945 conflict affected families in rebuilt their homes with funding from the Government Sri Lanka. of India, as well as to hundreds of thousands of other Through a series of photographs, this publication conflict affected families who have shown remarkable highlights the key achievements of the Indian Housing resilience in the face of hardship and displacement, Project implemented from October 2012 to December and are instrumental in the recovery of their 2015 through a homeowner driven process. communities. This participatory process has provided returnee families with a sense of achievement by managing the house construction process themselves, with technical Dr. Joan Clos assistance from UN-Habitat. United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, United Nations Human The publication documents the stories of recovery from Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) a cross-section of homeowners and communities in the districts of Mullaitivu, Jaffna and Kilinochchi on the 4 Indian Housing Project

Message from the Government of India

I warmly congratulate UN-Habitat for bringing out this in close consultation with the Government of Sri Lanka and publication entitled “Indian Housing Project: Rebuilding the beneficiary community. UN-Habitat was responsible for Homes, Transforming Lives”, which documents post-conflict the reconstruction or repair of 17,945 houses in the districts housing reconstruction efforts in the North of Sri Lanka of Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. The project followed through the Indian Housing Project. the highest standards of objectivity and transparency, both for beneficiary selection and grant disbursement, ensuring In June 2010, the Government of India announced that it sustainable resettlement. would construct 50,000 houses as part of its post-conflict The third phase to construct 4,000 houses for the estate rehabilitation assistance to Sri Lanka. The flagship Indian workers in the Central and Uva Provinces through a Housing Project, with a grant of USD 270 million, is perhaps community-driven approach will be taken up soon. Under this the largest such project undertaken by the Government of model, the same IAs will facilitate construction through the India overseas. The project is being implemented in three cooperative societies. stages. The pilot phase to construct 1,000 houses in the Northern Province through a contractor-driven model was This book, through a series of photographs taken by completed in July 2012. The second phase to construct or UN-Habitat staff members, celebrates the achievements of a repair 45,000 houses in the Northern and Eastern provinces cross section of homeowners who have rebuilt their damaged is being implemented through an innovative owner-driven homes by contributing their own time and effort in the true model, wherein the Government of India arranges technical spirit of the owner-driven process of construction. support and financial assistance for the owner-beneficiaries to undertake the construction / repair of their houses themselves. I congratulate all the beneficiaries of the Indian Housing Financial assistance of LKR 550,000 per beneficiary (LKR Project for their commitment and resilience in ensuring the 250,000 for repair cases) is being released in stages, and successful completion of their houses. I hope that these transferred directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries permanent homes will provide families the stability and by the High Commission of India. Four Implementing security they need for a bright, peaceful and prosperous future. Agencies (IAs), UN-Habitat, the International Federation for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, National Housing H.E. Mr. Y. K. Sinha Development Authority and Habitat for Humanity are High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka implementing the project in the North and East of Sri Lanka Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 5

Message from the Government of Sri Lanka

On behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, I warmly UN-Habitat, a trusted development partner of the congratulate UN-Habitat’s publication “Indian Housing Government of Sri Lanka for over 30 years, is one of the Project: Rebuilding Homes, Transforming Lives”, implementing agencies engaged by the Indian Government documenting post-conflict housing reconstruction efforts in supporting almost 18,000 families to reconstruct Sri Lanka with funding from the Government of India. their houses in the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, in collaboration with the District and Divisional On 18 January 2012, the Governments of India and Administration and the returnee families themselves. Sri Lanka signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide housing assistance for conflict affected families and I gratefully acknowledge the support provided by the plantation workers. Through this partnership, the Indian Government of India, UN-Habitat and the district and local Government pledged a grant of USD 270 million to build administrators in implementing this project. This photobook 50,000 houses. The Indian Housing Project, implemented illustrates the key achievements of the Indian Housing through a participatory “Homeowner Driven” methodology, Project and is a testament to the courage and commitment is providing 46,000 houses in the North and East with a of Sri Lankan families who are rebuilding their homes further 4,000 houses allocated to the plantation sector. following years of conflict and hardship. This approach ensures that the families themselves are central to the design and reconstruction of their homes. Hon. D. M. Swaminathan Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Introduction Background

Thirty years of conflict left communities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka with their houses damaged or destroyed, severely damaged physical infrastructure, limited livelihood opportunities and little or no productive assets. Around 160,000 houses were affected in the Northern Province and communities had neither the skills nor resources for self-recovery.

It is estimated that up to 160,000 houses were The social structures providing support damaged or destroyed in the Northern Districts. and leadership to the conflict affected communities were weakened as a result of the conflict. Displaced families returning to their places of origin were housed in temporary shelters constructed by humanitarian agencies or by the families themselves. These shelters were basic and families experienced severe hardships as a result. Families survived with minimal security, limited facilities for study and livelihoods and scant protection from the elements. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 7 Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives.

The Indian Housing Project in Sri Lanka

In June 2010, the Government of India, as part of its post-conflict rehabilitation The Indian Housing project followed a support to Sri Lanka, announced its homeowner driven methodology where families intention to fund the construction of managed the construction of their own homes. 50,000 houses. This project, with a grant of USD 270 million (approximately LKR 30 billion), was one of the largest Four Implementing Agencies – international grant assistance projects UN-Habitat, International Federation for undertaken by the Government of India. the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Phase I of the project piloted a “contractor (IFRC) in partnership with the Sri Lanka driven” approach for the construction of Red Cross Society, the National Housing 1,000 houses for extremely vulnerable Development Authority (NHDA) of the households in the North. Phase II, Government of Sri Lanka and Habitat for which consisted of 45,000 houses, was Humanity were selected to implement the implemented through the “Homeowner project. Driven” Methodology, where homeowners themselves managed the construction of The project followed the highest standards their houses. of objectivity and transparency, both for beneficiary selection and grant For thousands of families, the disbursement. Each beneficiary family last stages of the conflict and was provided a grant of LKR 550,000 to the ensuing years meant living a construct a house and LKR 250,000 to repair a damaged house. difficult life in temporary shelters made of tin sheets, cadjan or tarpaulins. 8 Indian Housing Project

Contribution by UN-Habitat

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme Commencing in October 2012, UN-Habitat process undertaken with the “homeowner driven” (UN-Habitat) facilitated the construction and repair implemented the Indian Housing Project in over methodology of construction. of 17,945 houses across the conflict affected districts 140 Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions in 10 Divisional This publication, through a series of photographs of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna in the Northern Secretariat (DS) Divisions. This project succeeded in taken by UN-Habitat staff members, provides a Province, comprising 17,500 fully constructed houses helping thousands of families to fulfil their housing window to the project’s key achievements and and 445 house repairs. needs and expectations outputs. It celebrates the transformation of lives of District DS Division whilst ensuring a sense Maruthankerny the conflict affected families in the North of Jaffna Karaveddy of ownership through Point Pedro Sri Lanka. Karachchi a fully participatory POINT PEDRO Kilinochchi Kandawalai SANDILIPAYTELLIPALLAI KARAVEDDY Pachchilaipalli CHANKANAI UDUVIL KOPAY KARAVEDDY KARAVEDDY Oddusuddan NALLUR KAYTS Mullaitivu Maritimepattu Jaffna CHAVAKACHCHERI MARUTHENKERNY VELANAI Puthukkudiyiruppu PACHCHILAIPALLI Welioya

DELFT

KANDAVALAI

POONAKARY Kilinochchi

KARACHCHI PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU Mullaitivu THUNUKKAI ODDUSUDDAN

MARITIMEPATTU

MANNAR TOWN WELIOYA MANTHAI EAST MANTHAI Mannar WEST VAVUNIYA NORTH

MADHU

NANADDAN VAVUNIYA VAVUNIYA SOUTH Vavuniya

MUSALAI VENGALACHEDDICULAM

The map indicates the DS Divisions assisted by the project through UN-Habitat. 9

People’s Process of Reconstruction

A participatory process was adopted to implement the Indian Housing Project in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. This methodology ensured stakeholder participation from inception whilst giving a voice and ownership to all beneficiary households.

The highest standards of objectivity and transparency were followed to select housing beneficiaries. Beneficiary lists were placed on noticeboards in villages to ensure all residents had access to information, while public mass meetings were held to raise awareness on the project objectives and methodology. A transparent grievance redress mechanism was established to enable community members to raise grievances throughout the selection process.

Village Reconstruction Committees (VRCs) were formed in all project locations, with beneficiaries elected as office bearers. These community organisations were responsible for monitoring the project progress whilst assisting vulnerable beneficiaries with construction activities. 10 Indian Housing Project

Public mass meetings were facilitated by Targeting UN-Habitat staff to raise awareness of the project methodology and roles and the Vulnerable responsibilities of the key stakeholders.

The highest standards of objectivity and transparency were followed to select the most vulnerable families for housing assistance. Eligibility criteria to pre-qualify for assistance and weighted criteria to select the most vulnerable families were developed through a consultative process involving representatives from the Government of Sri Lanka, Government of India and the Implementing Agencies.

Scoring for beneficiary selection underway in villages with community members scrutinising final beneficiary lists displayed at prominent locations. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 11

Strengthening Community Social Structures

Village Reconstruction Committees (VRCs) were Community Monitoring Committees monitored formed with office bearers selected from among project implementation in the villages by the beneficiaries. VRCs facilitated bulk purchasing identifying issues affecting construction of building materials and sourced skilled labour. progress and bringing them to the notice of VRCs also organised activities to support the most the project partners for resolution. Regular vulnerable beneficiaries who faced difficulties in public meetings with the community helped to completing construction. motivate beneficiaries to actively contribute to the construction of their houses while acting as a forum to share information and best practices. 12 Indian Housing Project

Community Action Planning (CAP) workshops were initiated to identify and prioritise the infrastructure needs of the conflict affected settlements in the project locations. These workshops were facilitated by UN-Habitat’s community mobilisation team with the active participation of beneficiaries and Government officials. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 13

Empowering Conflict Affected Women

The Indian Housing Project proactively developed the capacity of conflict affected women. 40% of the leadership positions in VRCs were held by women, enabling active participation in the development of their communities.

Small savings groups were established in villages, in partnership with the Sri Lanka Women’s Development Services Co-operative Society Ltd and Helpage Sri Lanka. The membership of these groups were almost exclusively female. The Savings Groups enabled women to access loans at low interest rates for household emergencies and to invest in livelihood activities.

Opening joint bank accounts enabled women to play an active, decision making role on allocating the housing grant while providing them access to finances for construction.

‘ ‘

My greatest wish is to provide a proper education for my children. I have improved my tailoring business after moving to the new house. I believe this income will help in fulfilling my children’s needs without having to depend on any external assistance.

Mrs. Srikanthy ‘‘ Kilinochchi district Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 15

Empowering Female Homeowners

Mrs. Inkaran Srikanthy, a 32 year old mother of three, suffered multiple displacements and lived in temporary Srikanthy has gained knowledge and skills shelters in several locations. When the family returned in construction work through the technical training to their village of Ponnagar in July 2010, they found provided by UN-Habitat as well as practical experience their home badly damaged and uninhabitable. As through her own labour contribution. Due to her careful Srikanthy had no regular source of income and no planning, commitment and the contribution towards the 1 support from her husband, she started working as a construction, she completed the house on schedule while casual worker in the village and undertook sewing saving labour costs. Other project beneficiaries are now orders, supplementing her monthly household income. seeking her advice.

In October 2012, Srikanthy was selected as a housing Ms. M. Geetha, beneficiary of the Indian Housing Project and as UN-Habitat Technical Officer a female head, she was given priority support by UN-Habitat. As the project followed a “homeowner 550 square feet with two bed rooms, a living room, driven” process, Srikanthy was responsible for the kitchen and toilet. planning, implementation and monitoring of the The “homeowner driven” methodology followed construction with the assistance of UN-Habitat’s 2 by the Indian Housing Project strengthens family technical team. relationships and enhances beneficiary’s skills in The family had faced several challenges during the construction and leadership. It also empowers men construction process including the lack of access and women to manage their own recovery, thereby to a regular water source, meaning they had to reducing dependence. Srikanthy’s remarkable collect water from common wells in the village for achievements in rebuilding her home demonstrate the construction and daily household consumption. Despite resourcefulness and resilience of women in the North this, Srikanthy successfully completed the construction of Sri Lanka. within a period of 8 months. Her permanent house is

3 1. The family near their temporary shelter. 2. Srikanthy engaged in construction. 3. Srikanthy with her family outside their new home. Female masonry trainees undergoing “on the job” training in Kilinochchi district. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 17

Supporting Women in the Construction Sector

In Sri Lanka, masonry and carpentry trades into groups and allocated project sites have been traditionally dominated by men, under the guidance of a head mason or with very few women engaged in these trainer. The masonry curriculum included sectors. UN-Habitat, with funding from the Indian Housing Project, implemented the This training programme was “Vocational Skills Development of Post very useful, not only because it gave me War Resettled Communities in Northern a job opportunity, but also provided vital Sri Lanka Programme” to support young knowledge on masonry work. I was able to people to enter the construction industry. monitor the masonry work in our house and 1 This programme gave opportunities for ensure the masons followed good women to break traditional barriers by construction practices. moving into previously male-dominated Mrs. Mangaleshwaran Sivaneshwary occupations in the construction sector. The Kilinochchi district National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA), German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and CEFE NET Sri Lanka modules on basic setting out and excavation partnered with UN-Habitat to deliver this of foundations, mixing of cement and training. The Programme encouraged youth concrete, construction of foundations, participation with the twin objectives of junction and corner construction, plastering enhancing their skills and creating a cadre and skirting, floor construction, tiling and of skilled workers that were urgently needed toilet construction. For carpentry trainees, for post-conflict housing construction the training module included planning activities in the North. and seasoning of timber and planks, manufacturing joints, fixing and adjustments, The training programme was of six months roof work, shuttering, manufacturing doors, 2 duration, including three months each windows and frames as well as varnishing, of class room and practical training on a 1. Carpentry training in Mullaitivu district. polishing and spray painting. construction site. Trainees were divided 2. Classroom masonry training in Kilinochchi district.

18 Indian Housing Project

Improving Construction Skills

Training on construction good practices was provided to skilled and semi-skilled local artisans engaged in construction of the houses by UN-Habitat, including training on eco-friendly, cost-effective, alternative construction practices and disaster risk reduction measures. Local youth participated in formal construction training, enabling them to engage in masonry and carpentry as livelihoods. The majority of trainees were women, who used their skills to construct their own houses and find employment as skilled artisans. Rebuilding Homes

From 2012 to 2015, UN-Habitat worked closely with the beneficiary homeowners, Village Reconstruction Committees, the Government of Sri Lanka and the Indian High Commission to construct 17,945 conflict damaged houses in the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

A grant of LKR 550,000 was provided to each beneficiary family in four installments to construct a new house while a grant of LKR 250,000 was provided to repair a partially damaged house. All families built their homes according to Local Authority guidelines with a minimum area of 550 square feet.

As the project followed a participatory “homeowner driven” process of construction, UN-Habitat provided technical assistance to homeowners so that they could in turn manage the construction process themselves. Technical support was provided for the house design, preparation of bills of quantities and assistance with land tenure documentation. UN-Habitat’s Technical Officers regularly visited the construction sites and assisted beneficiaries to source good quality building materials and supervise skilled labour.

The Indian Housing Project promoted the use of environmentally friendly building materials and alternative technologies including compressed stabilised earth blocks, fair faced masonry and treated plantation timber, to minimise the impact on the environment. Two ‘demonstration’ houses were built in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu to showcase environmentally friendly, alternative technologies to other beneficiaries in the wider community. 20 Indian Housing Project

Providing Technical Support

To assist beneficiaries to construct permanent quality. Provision of on-site technical support homes, UN-Habitat technical teams provided to beneficiaries and artisans assisted in the basic construction skills training. UN-Habitat timely resolution of technical issues. Technical technical staff visited individual construction staff also regularly updated beneficiary log sites to monitor construction progress and books with their observations and instructions. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 21

House Designs

Several house designs were was taken into consideration when prepared by UN-Habitat to assist developing the house plans in homeowners to conceptualise order to adhere to local cultural and construct their new home. practices. Each design was 550 Homeowners had the opportunity square feet and consisted of a to modify the plans according living room, two bed rooms, a to their family’s needs and kitchen and a toilet. Some plans aspirations. The concept of “Vastu included front verandahs while Shastra”, the traditional Hindu other families added them later. system of astrology in architecture, 22 Indian Housing Project

Helping Vulnerable Beneficiaries

Many community members assisted fellow beneficiaries who needed additional support, in particular the vulnerable including the elderly and persons with disabilities. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 23

Improving Resilience to Natural Disasters

Floods, droughts and high winds are the primary Anchoring of the timber roof structure to the natural hazards affecting the project areas. Raised masonry superstructure with stub columns and steel foundations have enabled the families and their anchors provided protection from high winds. Plaster assets to be safe from prevailing floods. bands on roofs protected tiles from being displaced by high winds. A minimum external wall thickness of 150mm and a ring beam at lintel level was introduced to provide stability. Many families in our village, who had no money to build permanent houses, have been supported by this project. On behalf our family, we want to thank everyone who helped us to build this beautiful house. Mr. and Mrs. Sivarasa Kilinochchi district Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 25

A Brand New Home for the Sivarasa Family

Mr. Vellupillai Sivarasa, a farmer and toddy tapper In May 2014, Sivarasa’s family were selected as Disaster Risk Reduction features have been from Jaffna and his family were displaced in 1996, beneficiaries for housing support. Sivarasa and his incorporated into the house design. 150mm thick with the intensification of hostilities in the Jaffna wife were jointly responsible for planning, designing, blocks have been used to build external walls tied district. Mr.Sivarasa and his family moved to organizing and constructing their house. They hired with a reinforced concrete ring beam at lintel level. Kilinochchi, where they lived for over 12 years. When two masons and a carpenter for skilled construction The hipped roof has been anchored to the ring beam the conflict ended, they returned to Jaffna but found work while the older family members contributed and restraining bands have been incorporated over their family home damaged beyond repair, requiring a their own labour by undertaking unskilled masonry the roof to resist high winds. In addition, raising the complete rebuild. and carpentry work. foundation above the annual flood level will prevent flood damage during the monsoon rains. By making toddy with palmyrah fruits and cultivating Their completed 550 square foot house consists of a a half acre of paddy land, Sivarasa earned about living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a toilet. With the completion of construction, the family LKR 7,000 per month. This was not enough to build It has been constructed using cement blocks for walls, moved into their house in early 2015. Their temporary a permanent house to replace their damaged home. clay roofing tiles and Palmyrah timber for the roof shelter is now used as an alternate kitchen, where With no savings, the family lived with friends for structure. Mahogany timber has been used for the non-vegetarian meals are prepared. The family is now several months. In 2011, Sivarasa built a temporary doors and windows whilst timber from the Neem tree gradually extending the house by building a front shelter for the family using tin sheets, cadjan and has been used for the shrine room. The family also verandah. tarpaulin. Although they were happy to have their saved money by producing their own cement blocks own living space, the shelter had insufficient facilities using moulds provided by UN-Habitat to beneficiary for the family of six. families in the village.

Before and after: the Sivarasa family near their temporary shelter and outside their permanent house. 26 Indian Housing Project

Promoting Cost-Effective, Eco-Friendly Construction Practices

Alternative cost effective construction practices, favourable to the local environment and contributing to local economies, were introduced to local artisans. Training programmes were held at the National Engineering Research and Development Center.

Newly introduced ‘fair faced’ blockwork was popular with many families as walls do not require plastering, thereby reducing the use of sand, cement and skilled labour. Sand in particular was a scarce resource throughout the construction process in the North. House constructed using fair faced block work in Kilinochchi district. 28 Indian Housing Project

Using Local Building Materials

UN-Habitat encouraged the use of building materials that are readily available in the local market. Clay roofing tiles were the preferred option for roof cladding while many families opted to recycle tin sheets from their temporary shelters to build verandahs. Roof work in progress in Mullaitvu district. Completed demonstration house constructed with Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks in Kilinochchi district. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 31

Building Demonstration Houses

1 2

1 & 2: Walls constructed using compressed stabilised earth Two “demonstration” houses were blocks. constructed to promote Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks and other 3: Completed demonstration alternative technologies in Kilinochchi house in Mullaitivu. and Mullaitivu. 32 Indian Housing Project

Concrete Blocks

Production of concrete blocks for wall construction is a common practice in the Northern Province, as they are cheaper than clay bricks and can be produced on-site. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 33

Using Recycled Building Materials

Waffle or filler slabs, were introduced to of sand, cement, coarse aggregates and provide a low cost solution to replace steel, uses discarded tiles and curd pots costly concrete used for toilet roofs, to reduce the volume of concrete. sunshades and roofs for verandas. These Using recycled debris significantly slabs, while reducing the consumption reduced the cost of construction. Ms.Vasuki’s newly constructed house stands out in the village. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 35

Building Environmentally Friendly Demonstration Houses Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks In April 2014, Vasuki completed her house using Compressed Stabilised Earth Blockwork (CSEB). It is 550 square feet with two bed rooms, a living room, kitchen and an outdoor toilet. A rain water harvesting system has been installed to address the scarcity of water.

For roof construction, a plantation timber species, Grandis, has been used. This timber was treated on-site using heated engine oil, an alternative low cost treatment method. Pre-cast concrete door and window frames also assisted to save precious timber resources and cut costs. Compressed Stabilised Earth Block walls are cost effective and environmentally friendly requiring no In addition to using alternative building materials, Vasuki plaster, consuming less cement mortar for bonding had practiced several methods to minimize wastage and and having a reduced sand and cement content. construction costs, including using salvaged building The houses constructed with stabilised earth bricks materials for the foundation and concrete, tile and brick also provide greater thermal comfort. Ms.Vasuki, from Ponnagar village in Kilinochchi, was pieces converted to coarse aggregates for the concrete selected as a housing beneficiary of the Indian Housing floor. Project in November 2012. As a female head of household with five children, she was given priority support. As Vasuki showed a keen interest in building a house with environmentally friendly features, she was selected to build a “demonstration” house. Technical assistance was provided by UN-Habitat including the selection of a house design, obtaining local authority approvals and sourcing eco-friendly building materials. Vasuki was responsible for the planning and supervision of the construction work with UN-Habitat’s technical team.

During the construction period, she hired several masons and carpenters while providing her own labour support.

Before & after: Ms. Vasuki’s sons outside their temporary shelter; Mother and son near the new house during construction. This house is a wonderful gift we received from the Indian Housing Project. We never imagined that we would be able to build a home like this in our lifetime. Mr. Thajeekaran, Mullaitivu district Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 37

New Beginning for the Thajeekaran Family

Following many years of displacement and hardship Lingeshwary, in addition to her household work living in Internally Displaced Persons camps and and cattle farming, assisted Thajeekaran with temporary shelters, Thajeekaran and Lingeshwary masonry work. returned to Sivanagar in 2013. As the couple had no The new home is particularly special to the funds of their own to build a permanent house, they homeowners as they have contributed their own constructed a temporary shelter with tin sheets labour towards its construction. Their house is 600 and cadjan. square feet with a living room, two bedrooms, a When the family was selected as housing kitchen and an outdoor toilet. Thajeekaran used beneficiaries of the Indian Housing Project, palmyrah timber from his garden for the roof Thajeekaran and Lingeshwary started clearing structure and has planted coconut and mahogany the land and excavating for the foundations. As saplings to replace the felled trees. The couple also Thajeekaran had previous experience, he was saved money by recycling building materials for the happy to undertake most of the construction work flooring. The foundation of the house was raised 1 with technical assistance provided by UN-Habitat. by one foot to safeguard against floods during monsoon rains. The roof has been anchored firmly to protect the house during heavy winds.

Both Thajeekaran and Lingeshwary are proud of their active engagement in the construction of the house. The positive experience has given Thajeekaran the confidence to undertake masonry work in the village and he now provides masonry support to other 2 families. 1: The family outside their temporary shelter. 2: Mrs. Thajeekaran undertaking plastering work. 3: The Thajeekaran family outside their new home. 3 Colourful wall murals of indigenous fauna and flora gives a vibrant, personal touch to the exteriors of the newly completed houses. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 39

Personalising Indoor and Outdoor Spaces

Colourful Exteriors

The homeowner driven process gives families Showcasing the vibrancy of the Northern the freedom to decide on their own house Province, homeowners have ‘personalised’ their design and finishes according to local homes by using numerous designs, colours, authority regulations and in-kind contributions. murals and motifs. 40 Indian Housing Project

Intricate Floor Designs

Intricate motifs on the floors of newly completed houses express the creativity of the families. Homeowners in their new permanent home in Mullaitivu district. The floor designs add a unique touch to the house. 42 Indian Housing Project

Decorative Grillwork

External wall murals and decorative window grills adorn many houses in the Northern Province. Window grills provide security to the families while expressing their individual tastes. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. A family outside their new home in Mullaitivu district. Decorative white grills can be seen in the background. 44 Indian Housing Project

Fences and Entryways

2 1 1: The palmyrah fence is the typical element which separates the home plot from the street, providing privacy and enabling families to go about their day to day activities within the compound.

2. A cross on the gate is often seen in homes of Christian families, particularly in coastal villages. Transforming Lives

By moving into permanent homes, families have gained not just shelter from the elements but also safety, security, and space to engage in their livelihood activities. It has provided space for children to play and study and for families to cook in comfortable indoor kitchens. Additional storage space has ensured that agricultural produce and items of value can be stored safely.

Many families improved their livelihoods by using the permanent homes to practice their livelihood activities including tailoring, fish net repair workshops and bicycle repair shops. Many farmers use their rooms to store produce while temporary shelters have also been used as storage areas and to house livestock and to operate retail shops.

Moving into a permanent home with more space and freedom, has transformed the lives of families. Fishermen in coastal villages of Jaffna use their front verandahs to mend and store fishing nets. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 47

Reviving Livelihoods

The additional spaces in permanent homes have helped many homeowners to engage in their livelihood activities with greater ease and comfort. 48 Indian Housing Project

Using Compounds for Livelihood Activities

Homeowners have more space and time to spend on livelihood activities since moving to their permanent houses. The compound makes an ideal space for drying excess fish for family consumption. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 49

Re-Using Temporary Shelters

Families are re-using their temporary livelihood activities including storing shelters or material from their shelters agricultural produce, housing livestock for other purposes, usually to support and using the shelter as retail shops. Mrs. Elysamma’s living room transforms into a sewing workshop during the day. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 51

My son and I provided unskilled labour for the mason as labour costs are high and unskilled labour is hard to come by, as there is a great amount of construction going on in the area. Mrs. Sebastian Elysamma Kilinochchi district

In late 2012, Elysamma was selected as a beneficiary to construct a permanent house. She selected a house design of her choice from those presented by UN-Habitat. This design was then amended to suit her needs and the standard Mrs. Sebastian Elysamma moved to Killinochchi Bill of Quantities was also modified. With the district from Matale district in central Sri Lanka grant provided by the project, Elysamma worked in 1977. As she had no property of her own, she diligently to complete the foundation work of 1 initially lived in an Internally Displaced Persons her new house. She worked closely with building Camp with her young family. Later, she and material suppliers to purchase material including her husband cleared a two acre plot of land in rubble, sand and cement. Malayalapuram GN Division in Killinochchi and settled there with their children. ”Elephants A skilled mason was hired from the village used to frequent this area when we first settled to undertake the construction work while here and we lived in a mud hut” says Elysamma, Elysamma closely supervised the construction recalling the early years in Malayalapuram. of the foundation. As her son was busy with his vocational studies at this time, she provided When Elysamma’s husband died over twenty unskilled labour assistance. years ago she brought up her family, undertaking sewing orders to make ends meet. Four of her five Elysamma and her son moved into their new house children are now married and three live on land in 2013. They are happy to have their own home 2 she subdivided. She and her family were displaced after years of displacement and living in temporary 1: Mrs. Elysamma discussing construction progress with her twice from Kilinochchi during the conflict. Upon shelters. The living room now acts as Elysamma’s skilled mason. returning to the village, she lived in a temporary tailoring workshop where she makes clothes for shelter with her youngest son. 2: Mrs. Elysamma and her son outside their newly constructed neighbours and friends. permanent house. Living rooms in permanent houses have become extended “learning spaces” with children using whitewashed walls as makeshift blackboards to practice their writing skills. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 53

Homes as Learning Spaces

The new homes have comfortable spaces for children to read and do their homework. Having a house that provides shelter from the elements has provided a more conducive study environment. Functional indoor kitchens have made life easier for families who can now prepare and consume meals in comfort. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 55

1 2

Indoor Kitchens

1 & 2: Indoor kitchens provide a safe and hygienic environment to prepare family meals.

3: Smoke free chimneys reduce indoor air pollution, whilst improved cook stoves reduce the consumption of wood.

3 56 Indian Housing Project

Female headed families, empowered to take savings in construction of their own houses. charge of the construction of their houses, In addition to housing support, female feel a sense of achievement on completion. headed households, affected by protection They have also acquired construction skills, issues, have been able to access referral enabling them to earn a living as semi-skilled services through the project. construction workers, while enjoying cost Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 57

Shrine Rooms

In most homes, religious symbols are prominently placed in shrine rooms and entrances.

The shrine room serves a dual purpose in agricultural communities. Agricultural produce and seeds are stored together with the families’ valuables as this room can be securely locked. Newly constructed house belonging to the Sellaiya family in Mullaitivu district. Rebuilding Homes. Transforming Lives. 59

Ms. Sivasothi is the sixth undertook the work herself with the help of an I want to thank god child in the Sellaiya family assistant. for giving me strength during our difficult of 11 children. During the times and for keeping my parents safe. By undertaking most of the work herself, Sivasothi My greatest wish is to look after my conflict, her siblings had saved about LKR 20,000 from the cost of the parents, which is why I remained single. relocated to other districts foundation. She was also able to complete the I was disappointed I could not provide leaving Sivasothi as the sole superstructure work to window sill level without them with a comfortable, secure house caregiver for her parents. to live in. I am happy that I have now external support. As a leg injury suffered during With the resettlement achieved this goal. the conflict hindered Sivasothi from continuing of families in Mullaitivu construction work above lintel level, she hired a Ms. Sellaiya Sivasothi district, she returned to the Mullaitivu district skilled mason for the remaining work while she village with her parents and continued to provide support. She also produced lived in a temporary shelter. cement blocks for wall construction and constructed After selection for housing support, Sivasothi the outdoor toilet. Their 550 square foot house commenced the foundation work which she with two bedrooms, kitchen and living area was planned to complete within a month by hiring a completed in April 2015. skilled mason. However, the mason’s services were discontinued due to poor workmanship and Sivasothi Ms. Sivasothi’s parents, 88 year old Mr. Kanthar Sellaiya and 83 year old Mrs. Sellaiya Thangamani, were selected as beneficiaries from Pulimchchinathakulam village in Mullaitivu. However, being elderly and in poor health, the couple were unable to rise to the challenge of managing the house construction themselves. Their daughter, who resides with them, 52 year old Sivasothi, came forward to help her parents, using her masonry skills gained through a training programme she attended in 2003.

Before and after: Sivasothi and her mother outside their temporary shelter which is now used for storage and in their new indoor kitchen. 60 Indian Housing Project

Greening Conflict Affected Villages and Reviving Home Gardens

To help green the conflict affected villages and recover construction while greening project areas and improving lost forest cover, saplings of fruit and timber producing nutrition for the families. trees were distributed among beneficiary families to be Seeds and training on organic home gardening were planted in their home plots. Tree planting helped to reduce also provided to beneficiaries with the support of the the negative impacts on the environment caused by Department of Agriculture. Home gardens provide nutrition and additional income for beneficiary families. 62 Indian Housing Project

Shelter and Security for All

New homes have provided families with safety and security and Shelter has benefitted all, not only the human inhabitants but space to live their daily lives in comfort. Thousands of homeowners also their pets, who have also found a place for themselves in the have been given a new lease of life by moving into a permanent completed houses. home. After years of conflict and hardship, the comfort provided by a permanent house can be seen in their happy faces. The smiling faces of homeowners express their new found security in permanent houses. 64 Indian Housing Project

Transforming Conflict Affected Villages into Thriving Human Settlements

In order to support holistic village develop- Housing Project villages. These facilities, ment, UN-Habitat implemented other donor selected based on community priorities, funded reconstruction projects to provide included preschools, community centres, community infrastructure facilities in Indian water supply schemes and internal roads. Children at a newly constructed preschool in Mullaitivu district. 66 Indian Housing Project

1: Preschool in Kilinochchi district.

2 & 3: School water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in Kilinochchi district.

2 3 Sense of achievement: A family sits contentedly on the doorstep of their newly completed house in Mullaitivu district. A new beginning: Homeowner with her young daughters outside their permanent home in Kilinochchi district.

Three decades of conflict resulted in severe damage and destruction to houses and infrastructure facilities in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Unable to recover from major financial shocks due to poverty and years of displacement, the majority of families were incapable of rebuilding their damaged houses. For years, they lived in temporary shelters that offered little security or protection from the elements.

From 2012, the Government of India funded the construction of 45,000 houses through a homeowner driven process. The project was facilitated through four implementing agencies, including UN-Habitat, in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. This photo book provides a glimpse into the lives of the families who rebuilt their permanent homes with funding from the Indian Housing Project and technical support from UN-Habitat. It celebrates the transformation of their lives through the provision of permanent housing, the cornerstone of a family’s survival and development.

UN-Habitat Sri Lanka 202-204, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07 Tel: (94 – 11) 2580691 Fax: (94 -11) 2581116 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.unhabitat.lk

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) P.O. Box: 30030, GPO, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya Tel: (254-20) 7621234 (Operator) / 7623120 (Information Services Section) Fax: (254-20) 7624266 / 7624267 E-mail: [email protected]